White Balsamic and Tarragon Chicken

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White balsamic vinegar has a mellow acidity that complements the tangy Peppadews, a variety of small, sweet peppers grown from South Africa. They add a slight heat and additional sweetness to the dish, as well as great color. Find them jarred at most grocery stores (and sometimes loose at the olive bar). When reducing the sauce before serving, if the liquid is less than 1 cup, add water.

4

Servings

Tip

Don't rush rendering the fat from the skin on the chicken thighs. The skin should be golden brown and feel crisp.

Season and cook the chicken

6

bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2½-3 pounds), trimmed

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1

tablespoon grapeseed or other neutral oil

Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until just smoking. Add the chicken, skin down, and cook until fat is rendered and the skin is golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Step 2 of 3

Bake the chicken

3

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1

shallot, minced (about ⅓ cup)

¾

cup white balsamic vinegar

¾

cup low-sodium chicken broth

Transfer the chicken skin up to a plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet. Stir in the garlic and shallot and cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about 1 minute.

Add the vinegar and broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Return the chicken to the skillet, skin up. Transfer to the oven and bake until the chicken reaches 175°F at the thickest part, 12 to 15 minutes.

Step 3 of 3

Plate and serve

&frac13;

cup pitted green olives, chopped

4

tablespoons minced fresh tarragon, divided

½

cup Peppadew peppers, drained and chopped

Transfer the chicken, skin up, to a deep platter and return the skillet to the stovetop (handle will be hot) over medium-high. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until reduced to about 1 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the olives, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

Off heat, stir in half the tarragon, then spoon the sauce around the chicken. Top with Peppadews and the remaining tarragon.